1972 British film
Our Miss Fred is a 1972 British comedy film starring Danny La Rue, set during World War II.[1][2] The film was also known by its video release titles Beyond the Call of Duty (Canada) and Operation: Fred (US). In the 1960s, La Rue was one of the highest paid entertainers in Britain, but this represents his only starring role in a feature film.[3]
Plot
English Shakespearean actor now RASC Private Fred Wimbush is in the British army during the Battle of France. His skills result in his being asked to entertain the troops, but he is ordered to perform in drag. When the Germans capture his audience, he continues his disguise in women's clothes. Fred fears he will be shot as a spy. He has to fend off both French locals and German troops. The double entendres and bullets fly as he attempts his escape in the company of the pupils from an English girls' finishing school.[4][5]
On a country lane he encounters Miss Flodden and Miss Lockhart who run an English girls' school. They ask him to fix their car ("Agatha") and is introduced to their five pupils on a tour of France: four English and one American, who are hiding in a barn. As the headmistress loudly declares that she loathes female impersonators and would gleefully turn them over to the Germans, Fred maintains his disguise. They suggest that Fred lose his flamboyant dress and instead dress as a teacher.
The English girls have a downed RAF airman, Squadron Leader Smallpiece hidden in a shed; Fred reveals his true identity to him. Fred steals a Nazi SS uniform to disguise Smallpiece. Fred drives around the French countryside with the girls encountering the Germans.
They head for an airfield and get in pretending to be a group of girls from the local brothel. Although they fail to catch a plane they attach "Agatha" to a barrage balloon and float off to safety.
Fred is recruited by the Special Operations Executive. In the final scene Fred back in drag is entertaining a group of Germans, singing "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball", though not to the tune of the Colonel Bogey March.
Sample gag
'Given his experience as a (Shakespearean) actor, (Fred) ends up...working as an entertainer for the troops. And playing all the female parts. He's not entirely happy... "Look at me, dressed like a bird," he grumbles. "They used to come from miles away to see my Titus Andronicus."[6]
Production
The film was constructed specifically as a vehicle for La Rue. Filming took place in June 1972.[7]
Reception
Box office
The film was a box office disappointment.[8] Ned Sherrin, who directed a short, The Cobblers which was released in support of the film, said Our Miss Fred "turned out to be a big disaster".[9]
Critical reception
In "The Spinning image", Graeme Clark called the film, "a goodnatured comedy which, while you can see why La Rue's prospects in cinema might have been limited, also proved he was no dead loss in front of the camera either."[10] In the Radio Times, David McGillivray wrote, "Danny La Rue, Britain's most popular female impersonator during the 1970's, seems terribly constricted in his one major film, an old-fashioned wartime comedy written by distinguished playwright Hugh Leonard."[11]
Psychotic Cinema wrote, "this is a fun movie with plenty of sexual innuendo jokes and a rousing rendition of the popular song Hitler Has Only Got One Ball."[12] Movies About Girls wrote of La Rue, "he actually comes across remarkably well on screen...It’s all terrifically entertaining... La Rue can’t hide the fact that he’s loving every minute of it. You wouldn’t want him to either, because each and every smirk and grin means you can’t help but enjoy yourself along with him."[3]
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